With the decreasing size of electronic devices used in most all fields, there is a continuing demand for smaller sized electrical components used in these electronic devices. This is especially so in the telecommunications field with the demand for mobile, lightweight and smaller sized devices. Similarly, in the field of cable communications, smaller sized electronic devices and the related connectors are in demand. For example, the household use of cable communications, both for television and computer connections, is one area where the need for smaller sized and reliable connectors is rapidly expanding.
In the telecommunications field, and more specifically in the cable communications field, insulation displacement contacts (IDCs) are used to quickly and reliably connect wires to a printed circuit board, a junction or distribution box or other devices. The IDC allows the user to connect the wire without the need for first removing the insulation from the wire end. That is, the IDC cuts through the insulation, when the wire is seated in the IDC, to make electrical connection. This ease of making wire connections, especially out in the field, makes the IDC a very useful component.
Example prior art IDCs include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,478 B1, for a Snap Type Retention Mechanism For Connector Terminals issued to Daoud; U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,036, for a Locking Latch Mechanism For An Insulation Displacement Connector, also issued to Daoud; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,003, for an Electrical Connector With Variable Thickness Insulation-Piercing Contact Member issued to Bigotto. As shown and described in each of these patents, the IDC generally has a conducting terminal with a pair of beams such that when the wire and insulation is forced between the beams and the beams' edges cut through the wire insulation and make electrical contact with the wire.
Other example prior art IDCs are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,152,760 and 6,406,324 B1. The devices are an IDCs having pivoting wire stuffer elements or wire stuffers. The wire stuffers each have wire slots and are pivotable over the IDC terminal beams. With the wire stuffer in an open position, the wire (not shown) may be placed into the wire slot. When the wire stuffer is then forced into the closed position, with the wire in the wire stuffer slot, the terminal beams cut through the wire insulation and the wire is electrically connected to the terminal. The wire slot diameter is fabricated to accept a limited range of wire sizes. In the telecommunications field, the wire gauge may be between 22 AWG and 26 AWG.
While IDCs are very useful, IDC technology has been limited on printed circuit board for use with connectors that employ traditional through hole mount or surface mount technology. In a typical configuration with the IDC assembled on a circuit board, the pivotable wire stuffers tend to be difficult to operate without damaging other components, particularly when the circuit board has closely spaced components due to space requirements. Ease of use of this type of IDC would be greatly enhanced if the pivoting wire stuffers could be positioned at the edge of the circuit board. In addition, the positioning of the IDC connector on the edge of the circuit board would provide increased utilization of the circuit board, allowing other components to be mounted on the top and bottom surfaces thereof.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an IDC connector which can be mounted on the circuit board edge surface, thereby allowing for ease of assembly of the IDC connector to the circuit board and ease of termination of the wires in the IDC connector. Additionally, as space on the surface of the printed circuit board is many times at a premium, mounting the IDC connector on the edge of the circuit board allows other component to be mounted on the surface of the printed circuit board in the space previously occupied by the IDC connector and provides for a separable and distinct interface, removed from the components mounted on the face of the printed circuit board.